David Pritchard has been out and about with the new Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 SP DI VC USD lens.

In his two most recent blog entries, he's been using the lens for close up work. The beauty of a zoom lens is that it's extremely versatile and can be used for subjects near or far.

David says: "Longer lenses are known for compressing perspective. When combined with the depth-of-field reduction of a longer lens, this means that you can effectively see through foreground obstructions to provide a pleasing blur, or a wash of colour. This skipper butterfly was shot using a short extension tube to get a little closer than the lens’s minimum focus distance. The foreground plants were used to create a natural, pale vignette around the main subject."

As well as enabling you to see through foreground obstructions, the 70-200mm also has another distinct advantage. "Then there’s the extra reach. When your macro lens is a paltry 105mm, it’s not always my first choice when shooting dragonflies out over the water. The 200mm focal length lets me get that little bit closer than my macro when there is a limit on how close I can move to the subject." enthuses David.

To catch up with David and see what he's been up to with the Tamron 70-200mm lens, head over to his blog, thedayszoompast.